The World Exists to Be Put on a Postcard

the long version

Postcards are often bought quickly and disposed of without much thought. Artists' postcards, however, from the 1960s onwards, are a significant part of the history of contemporary art. The ready familiarity of a tourist postcard means it has rich potential to be subverted, with recognizable images appropriated or manipulated for political, satirical, revolutionary or playful intent. The only requirement is that it fits through a letterbox and, unlike traditional works of art, requires nothing more than a stamp for it to be seen on the other side of the world. Being made of everyday material, postcards invite handling, ask to be included in our lives, picked up, turned over and shown to friends. The inexpensiveness of production encourages artists to experiment with their design.